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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · mark · mouse · pit · bat · stand · craft · perch

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pit — a hole
  4. craft — boats
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mark — a trace
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cell — in biology
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bat — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. mouse — for a computer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com